Brick-molding machine



June 5, 1928. 1,672,619 D G MACKENZIE BRICK MOLDING momma F lled May 51,1927 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor Juneau Glam/an Ndckcnz): BY: 6. 0M awRTTO MEYS D. G. MACKENZIE BRICK MOLDING MACHINE Filed. May 31, 1927 '7Sheets-Sheet inventor ncan Com/0,, fidcknzi R oRrrm s June 5, 1928,

D. MACKENZIE BRICK MOLDING MACHINE Filed May 31, 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet 311121612501? fl n nn ory/on Nuckcnxic June 5, 1928.

D. G. MACKENZIE BRICK MOLDING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 51,1927 hwemfor Auncq guru on Markov ZIC A TORNEYS June 5. 192a;

D. G. MACKENZIE BRICK MOLDI-NG MACHINE Filed May :51, 1927 7Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor 0 on ca n 6:11-10? Nuke n ii 3%,, 5mm.

June 5. 1928. 1,672,619

D. G. MACKENZIE BRICK MOLDING MACHINE Filed May 51, 1927 7-Sheets -Sheet6 'lmrenimt fiun car are/on fierfienzic BY.II&IJI A T T 0 R N E \sJ'une-5.- 1928.

D. G. MACKENZIE BRICK MOLDING MACHINE Filed May 31, 1927 '7 Sheets-Sheet'7 lmrent r flurrmn 624/. Manfi nic Patented June 5, 1928. l i I 1 v'um'rso STATES PATENT OFFICER DUNCAN GORDON MACKENZIE, OF rnronnnnerann-BRICK-MOLDING MACHINE. I Application and May 31, 1927, Serial No.195,165, and. vm Great Britain Ma 31,1928.

The invention consists of an improved maand with means for mechanicallyfilling the chine for molding bricks, tiles, road setts molds and forstrickling off the material and thelike by pressure from aggregate-orlevel with the tops of the molds. the like. i When the machine isprovided with three 5 The improved machine comprises a' suitmolds, themolds are disposed at equal disably' constructed frame .within which aretances apart around the centre of the ,madisposed the majority of theworking parts chine and the bottom of the hopper for feedof the machine.Within said frame and on 'ing material to the molds and the ram a commonshaft supported by said frame are through whichthe contents of the moldsare 10 mounted two members. One of these memcompressed are arranged withtheir centre bers, which serves as a support for certain linescoincident with lines disposed atangles of the walls of the molds usedin the ma- 0f160 to a vertical plane passing through chine, is adaptedto be rotated step by step the centre of the shaft on which are mountinone direction only, while the second of ed the abovereferred to firstand second 15 said members, which serves as a driver for members. 1 1 csaid first mentioned member, is adapted to The accompanying drawingsillustrate a be rotatedto and fro. The angle through machineconstructed'inj accordance with the I which said members are rotateddepends invention, i T p r 7 upon the number of molds employed, beingFig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine. 3 120 if three molds areused. Four of the Fig. 2 is a plan of the machine,-the hopper walls ofeach of the molds-with which the for containing the material to be usedin the machine is provided are made .as one piece, machine and the partsassociated with said so as to constitute a box without bottom or hopperbeing removed. Fig. 3 is a plan of top, and are slidably mounted inguides or said hopper and the parts associated there- 25 between rollerson said first mentioned memwith. Fig. 4 is a part section and parteleber and are moved in said guides or between vation illustrating themanner in which the said rollers at the required times throu h membersof the molding part of the machine the medium of a cam groove formed inor are arranged and constructed. Fig. 5. is a carried by the second ofsaid members. The section fulfilling the .same purpose as Fig. 35 bottomwall of each of the molds is rela- 4.1Fig. 6 is a fractional viewillustrating tively stationary and may be constituted by an alternativeform of the head of the ram a face on said first mentioned member. Theof the machine andparts of one of the molds remaining or sixth wall ofeach mold, is used in the machine. Fig. 7, drawn to a constituted by thehead of a ram which is larger scale than the above described figures,adapted when the parts of said first mena part section and partelevation illustioned member are brought opposite said t'rati'ng moreclearly certain parts of the maram to bear against the slidable walls ofthe chine shown in some of the above described molds and to more or lesscompress or configures. 'Fig. 8 is a. plan of the slidable .solidate thecontents of the molds, the head walls of the molds, used in the"machine. of said ram being provided on itsfront face Figs. 9 and 10 areelevations and Fig. 11 is with a projection adapted to exactly fit the aplan of said slidable walls with certain spaces obtaining between theinner faces of parts added thereto. Figs. 12 and 13' are the slidablewalls of the molds. Alterna respectively a faceview'and a side view oftively, and this is preferable as it facilitates two discs whichconstitute one half of what 5 the construction of the machine, the frontis hereinafter, for the sake of distinction, part of said ram is made ofsuch shape that termed the second member ofthe molding it does not bearagainst the outer ends of part of the machine, and thearm by which theslidable walls of the molds but merely saiddis'cs are-rotated to andfro. Figs. 14

to The machine is provided witha hopper for lower part of the machine,"illustrating how feeding material to the molds and with bricks or thelike formed in the machine are means located in'the lower part of themadelivered from the machine. Figsflo, 17 'chine, for removing the brics.'tiles orthe and 18. are views of the plattens for the] like, formedin the machine. The hopper is bricks or the like. I 1 fitted with meansby which its'bottom will Referring now to these drawings, 1 is the beopened and closed" at the requiredtimee frame of the machine, betweeathe sides of fits between the inner faces of said walls. and l5 are aplan and a side view of the i of bolts 21 serves as a driver for andshown most of molds, three and the'discs '6 pressed by l of which frameare disposed the majority of the working parts of the machine. 2 is thedriving shaft of the machine. 3 is asecond shaft upon which are mountedtwo members, one of which members hereinafter referred to, for the sakeof distinction, as the first member of the molding part of the machine,is during the operation of the machine rotated step by step in onedirection only, while the other member, hereinafter referred to, for thesake of distinction, as the second member of the molding part of themachine, said first member and is rotated to and fro. Said members ofthe molding part of the machine are constructed and arranged as followsr- The first member of the molding part of the machine consists of ahollow casting l of the shape illustrated by the drawings, clearly in 7,which 'is keyed to the shaft 3, and of two discs 5, which are connected,as hereinafter described, to the casting 4t and rotate therewith. Thesecond member of the molding part of the machine is constructed of twopairs of discs 6, 7, which are rotatably mounted on the shaft 3 atsuitable distances on either side of the discs 5 of the first member ofthe molding part of the machine. The discs .6 of the pairs of discs 6, 7are recessed on their outer faces and are provided with cam grooves 8,while the discs 7 of thepairs ofdiscs 6, 7, which serve as covers forthe discs 6 and are screwed to same, are formed with hubs 7 To thesehubs 7 are secured arms 9 which are moved through an angle correspondingto the angle obtaining between any two of the molds used in the machineby means of connecting rods 10 and 12. The shaft 12, which is mountedinbearings 13 bolted to the frame 1 of the machine, is driven from theshaft 2 by means of a chain let and chain wheels 15 and 16. The discs 5of the first member of the molding part of the machine are, as shownmost clearly in Fig. 7, provided with sets of pawl-s to the number 17corresponding in number molds, used in the machine,

of the second member of the part of the a corresponding which the pawls17 means of springs 5, and 6and 7 of ti molding wit into are constantly19. The discs 1e two members of the molding partof the machine and theparts associated therewith are enclosed in casings 20 which are securedto therhollow casting l and to the discs 5 of the first member of themolding part of the machine by means passing through said hollowcasting' and discs and through the inner walls the casings.

The molds used in the machine consist of the first member of machine butpreferably .COZlSlSt of plates 22 crank discs 11 keyed to a shaft slightat the required bottom walls, which may be constituted by the outerfaces of the molding part of the secured to said faces and of fourslidable *alls23, 24, which, as previously mentioned, and as shown inthe accompanying drawings, more particularly Fig; 8 and Figs. 9, l0and'll, are made as one piece, so as to constitute a boX without bottomor top. Two of these walls, the walls indicated by 23, are made ofgreater length than the other *alls 24, and to longer walls are screwedslippers 25, which are provided with long bosses or hubs are slidablymounted on the discs 5 of the first member of the molding part of themachine, in such manner that they can only move on lines radiallydisposed withrespect to the shaft 3, by means of rollers 26, mounted onsaid discs 5. Shafts 27, made of such lengths as to extend intothe'recessed parts of the discs 6' of the second members of the moldingpart of the machine, pass through. slots the side walls of the hollowcasting 4 of the first member of the molding part of the ma chine andthrough holes formed in thelonger slippers The walls .23 of the slidablewalls 23, 24of the molds and the slippers 25. Upon the long osses orhubs'25 of the slippers 25 are mounted rollers 29 which engage with thecam grooves '8 formed in the dries 6 of the pairs of discs 6, 7,constituting the second member of the molding part of the machine, andare secured in position on said bosses or hubs by ends of the shafts27hThe cam grooves 8 are made of the shape shown in Figs. 7 and 12, seeparticularly 12, that is tosay comprise a part along which the rollers29 28 formed in the hollow casting' l of the outer faces of these meansof nuts 30 engaging with the travel whilst the slidable walls'23, of

the molds remain stationary, a part along which the rollers 29 travelwhen said slid a le walls 23, 24: are, during compression of thecontentsof the molds, moved to a extent towards the centre of the shaftiird part in which the rollers travel when said slidable walls are movedclear of the bricks or the like formed in the ma-- chine to allow themto be delivered an d'removed from the machine, and a fourth p traidwalls to enable t -to be again filled.

The contents of the time which closes the I as ram consists ofacrosshead 31, which 7 18 supported in position by means of a pair ofrocking arms 32, head 33, the ram at the centre of the crosshead, twowhich are passed through holes formed in the ends of the crosshead 3l,adjustable cushioning springs surrounding the stems of said its - .atingthe ram,

headed rods 34, and long links 36, for operwhich are provided at theircentres with slots 36 so that they 'may bestride the shaft 3. The longlinks 36 are actuated at the required times,-that is to of the hoppersay, when the. contents of a mold are tobe compressed, by any suitablemeans, such, for instance, as cams 37 keyed to the driving shaft 2 ofthe machine and pivoted arms 38 which are connected to the long links 36and are provided at their outer ends with bowls 39, adapted to bearagainst the cams 37. The head 33 on the centre of the crosshead 31 maybe of the form illustrated in Fig. 4, that is to say may be provided ata suitable distance from its front face with a shoulder 33 which, afterthe front of the head has entered the upper part of the space obtainingbetween the slidable walls 23, 24, of a mold, and thereby'closed theouter end of the mold,-bear against the ends of the slidable walls .23,24 of the mold. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 6, said shoulder may bedispensed with, the head 33 being made throughout its length of a sizecorresponding to the space obtaining be-, tween the slidable walls 23,24 of the molds. In both cases the crosshead 31 is providec with rollers40 whichare adapted when'the crosshead is moved towards the centre ofthe shaft 3 to bear against the slidable walls 23, 24 of the molds. i

The material from'which the bricks or the like are to be made iscontained in a hopper 41, which is supported at the upper part of oneend of the frame 1 of the machine. This hopper41, see Figs. 1 and 7, isprovided at" its bottom with through the medium of which the the hoppercan be opened and closed at the required times. This door 42 is secured.at its rear end to a bar 43,'which is mounted in the lower ends of apair of short links 44 that are pivotaily supported from the sides 41,while the front end '0 the door 42 is'provided with apair of ears 45. Onpins 46 passingthrough these ears are mounted the outer ends of two arms47, which are supported at theirother ends on the shaft 3 of the machineand also short links 48. The lower ends of these short links 48 arepivotally connected to one of the ends of two rocking levers 49. Theserocking levers 49 are mounted on 50,whieh is supported in bearings 51bolted to the frame 1 of the machine,.and are provided with bowls 52.Thesebowls 52' bear against cams53 secured to the shaft 12 of v themachine, and during a (30 certain part of the rotation of said cams 53the levers 49 will be rocked and the door 42 of the hopper 41 will beturned upwards so as to close the bottom of the hopper; Duringthis'movement' of the door '42 it will travel with the moid which willthenbe oppos te the mouth is supported by is formed with a slop ngotally supported a door 42 bottom of r f of which the door 42 mold; Atthe same 111118 the material contained in the mold will be strickled orlevelled off by a lip per part of the mouth of the hopper.

The material contained in-thehopper 41, which is suitably fed thereto inlimited quantity,'is forcedjinto the molds of'the machine by means ofapusher contained in the'hopper. This pusher, see Figs. 1 and 7, issupported in position in the hopper 41, by means of links 54 and 55, andis constructed in threepar'ts, a rear part 56 which the: links 54, acentral part 57 which issupportedlby the-links 55,.is slidablymounted inthe rear part 56, and is maintained in position by means-of a coiledspring 58 interposed between the two parts, and'a pivoted front part.

face. -The front part 59 of the pusheris supported by means of links 60from the front ends of a pair of two-armed rocking levers 61 which arepivon the sides of the hopper 41, and are connected at their rearends-by links 62 to the outer ends of the rocking l levers 49,hereinbefore referred to in connection with the means for operating-thedoor 42 of the hopper. tuated at the required'times. by levers 63 whichare mounted on the shaft 50 on which are mounted the rocking levers 49.The levers 63 bear at their upper ends against rollers 64 on the rearpart 56.0f the:pusher 56, 57,58, 59,'and lowerends with bowls 65. Thesebowls 65 bear against cams 66 onthe shaft 12 of the machine. At acertain period during each revolution of the cams 66 the pusher 56, 57,58, 59 will be-moved forwards so asto force material into the mold whichis then opposite the mouth of the hopper '41. and'when the rockinglevers 49, throughthe medium of the hopper is turned upwards, are rockedthe frontpart 59 ofv the usher 56,57, 58, 59 will be swung, upwards. Asshown, the degree of compression of the coiled spring 58 is adapted tobe varied so as to determine the quantity of material forced into themolds of the machine by the pusher. I

The bricks or the like formed in the machine are delivered from themachine by the means now to be described with-special reference to Figs.14' to 18 of the accompanying drawings.

An upright casing ordnagazine 67 is secured totwo 'of the longitudinalgirders 68 which form the central part of the lower portion of the frame1 of the machine, an within this magazine 67 are placed a pile ofplattens adapted to receive the bricks or the like. 1 These plattens69,as will be seen from an inspection of 41 provided at the up 59, whichref Said pusher is acr Figs. ,14 to 18, more pa r are provided at theirill ticularly Figs. 16 to 18, consist of dished plates, somewhatresembling a shallow lid of a box, which are provided on the centralparts of their lower surfaces with a suitable number of spacedprojections or the like. In front of the magazine 67 and between saidgirders 68 are mounted rollers 71 which bridge the space obtainingbetween the girders, while on the parts of the girders 68, which arelocated below the magazine Glare mounted rollers 7 2 which are of suchlength that a gap of suitable width will obtain between the rollers. Ina bearing 73 secured to one of the lowermost transverse members of thelower part of the frame 1" of the machine is mounted a rocking lever 74which is adapted to be moved to and fro by means of a connecting rod 7 5and a'cran-k H disc 6, said crank: disc being rotated by v means of achain H and chain wheels 78 and 79. To the upper end of said rockinglever 74 is pivoted a short lever or pawl 80 which is adapted when thelever 74 is moved to and fro to engage with the projections 70 on thelowest of the plattens contained in the magazine 67. This platten as itis pushed forward on the rollers 7 0 will platten in front of it, andwill, in its turn, be pushed forward by the next platten withdrawn-fromthe magazine, and so on, with the result that there will be a continuousprogression, whilst themachine is running, of plattens, and the bricksor the like deposited on said plattens will be continuously deliveredfrom the machine.

Assuming that the improved machine is provided with three molds, asshown in the drawings, the machine will operate as follows At the startone of the three molds with which the machineis provided, hereinafterreferred to as mold A, will be immediately below the feeding hopper ofthe machine, a second mold, hereinafter referred to as mold B, will beopposite the ram adapted to effect compression or consolidation of thecontents of the molds, while the third mold, hereinafter referred to asmold C, will be above one of the plattens by which the bricks or thelike are delivered from the machine.

Assuming that mold A has been filled with the necessary'amount ofmaterial, both the first and second members of the molding part of themachine are turned through an angle of 120 in the same direction, adirection which will, for the sake of brevity, be hereinafter mainlyreferred to as aforward direction. During this movement of said membersmold A will be moved from below the feeding hopper of the machine intoposition below the ram by which compression or consolidationof thecontents. of the molds is effected, mold B will be moved into positionabove one of said plattens in the lower part of the machine, and mold Cpush forward the The second member of the second member of the moldingpart of the machine no rotary movement of the first member of themolding part ofmachine will take place, but the slidable walls of mold Cwill be moved outwards from the centre of the shaft upon which saidmembers are mounted ready for filling, and the sildable walls of mold Awill be moved towards the centre of said shaft and the head of the ramof the machine will enter the space obtaining between the slidable wallsof mold A and effect compression or consolidation of the contents ofmold A." At the same time a suitable quantity of. material will be fedinto the mold C. Both of the members of the molding part of the machineare now turned through an angle of 120 in a forward direction, 1. e., inthe direction in which they were previously and simultaneously rotated.movement of the two members of the molding part of the machine mold A,containing a compressed brick or the like, will be moved into positionabove a platten in the lower part of the machine, and mold G will bemoved into position opposite the ram. The second machine is again turnedthrough an angle of 120 in the reverse direction, while the member ofthe molding part of the During this simultaneous first member of themolding part of the machine again is stationary. During this moveinentofthev second member of the molding part of the machine thesildablewalls'of mold C and also said ram will be moved towards the shaft uponwhich are mounted the members of the molding part of the machine, andthe contents of this mold will be compressed, in like manner as thecontents of mold A were compressed, the slidable walls of mold A will bemoved towards the centre of the shaft on which are mounted the membersof the molding part ofthe machine so as to allow the compressed brick orthe like in this mold to be delivered on to a platten in the lower partof the machine and the slidable walls of mold B to be moved outwardsfrom said shaft. members of the molding part of the machine will nowagain be simultaneously turned through an angle of 120 in a forwarddirection, with the result that mold Afwill be moved into positionbelow. the; feeding hopper, mold B will be moved into, position oppositethe ram, and mold C will be moved into position over a .platten in thelower part of the machine. The second member of the molding part of themachine is now turnedthrough an angle of 120 in the re The 7 A cure byLetters of America is as follows verse direction. During this part ofthe cycle of operations of the machine mold will be filled withmaterial, the Contents of mold B will be compressed, and the slidablewalls of mold G will be moved towards the centre of the shaft upon whichare mounte the members of the molding part of the machine. Everything isnow as at the start, except that at the start molds B and C were empty.7 p

As will be readily understood a machine constructed in accordance withthe invention may be provided with more than three molds. For instance,the machine may be provided with sets of two or more molds disposed sideby side. Further, the arrange-- ment of plattens, rollers and rockinglever hereinbefore described as a means for delivering' formed bricksfrom the machine may be replaced by any suitable form of conveyor.

Although the machine constituting the resent invention has beendescribed in connection with the manufacture of bricks, tiles, viousl beused for molding other articles. What I have invented. and desire to se-Patent of the United States 1. A machine for molding bricks, tiles, roadsetts and other articles, by pressure from aggregate or the like,comprising a member which is adapted tobe rotated step by step in onedirection only, a second member adapted to be rotated to and fro, moldsconsisting of stationary bottom walls car'- ried by sai mentioned memberand side walls slidably mounted on said member, means for moving saidslidable mold walls, and a ram for compressing or consolidating thecontents of said molds, substantially as described.

2. A machine for molding bricks, tiles,

road setts and other articles, by pressure from aggregate or the like,consistin of a member which to be rotated step by step in one directiononly, a second member adapted to and fro and serving as a firstmentioned member, molds comprising tionary bottom walls, carried by saidrst mentioned member, and four walls, made as one piece, which areslidably mounted on said first mentioned member and are moved asrequired through the medium of cam mechanism consisting o cam grooves insaid second member and bowls engaging said cam rooves and carried bysaid first member, and a ram for compressing or consolidating thecontents of said molds, substantially as described.

3. A machine for molding bricks, tiles, road setts and other articles,by pressure from aggregate or the like, consisting of a member which isadapted to be rotatedstep A ber adapted to be rotated hopper relativelysta-' in one directiononly, a second mem-V to and fro, molds stationarybottom walls carfirst mentioned member and side by step comprising riedby said walls slidably mount-ed a hopper, for-containing the materialfor filling said'j molds, provided at its bottom with'a mouth and with adoor for opening andwlosing said mouth, a pusher in said for forcingmaterial from the hop per into said molds provided with a pivoted frontpart,.ineans for operating said pusher, for raising and lowering thepivoted front part of said pusherfas said door is closed and opened, andfor causing the front end of said door to follow the outer ends of themolds, a lip atthe upper part of the 1 month of said hopper forstrickling or levelling oif the material in said molds, and a rain forcompressing or consolidatin the contents of sai vmolds, substantially asdescribed.

I f. A machine for molding bricks, tiles,

road setts and thelike, the machine can 0 road setts and other articlesby pressure consisting of a member to be rotated step by step a secondmemberadapted to be rotated to and fro, molds comprising stationarywalls carried by said first mentioned member and side walls slidablymounted on said member, means for moving said slidable mold walls, ahopper, for containing the material for filling sai molds, provided atits bottom with a mouth and with a door for opening and closing saidmouth, a pusher in said hopper for forcing material from the hopper intosaid from aggregate, which is adapted 1n one direction only,

' molds constructed of a rear part, of a cen- 'tral part which isslidably mounted in sai rear partand ismaintained in position anadjustable coiled spring, an part pivoted to said central part, meansfor operating said pusher, for raising and lowering the pivoted frontpart of said pusher as the ,door of the hopper is closed and opened, andfor causing the front end 0 said door to follow the outer ends of t emolds, a lip at the upper part of the mouth of said off the material insaid molds, and a ram for compressing or consolidating the contents ofsaid molds, ubstantially as describedv 5. A machine for molding roadsetts and other articles, by pressure from aggregate or thelike,consisting of a member which is adapted to be rotated step by stepin one direction only, a second member adapted to be rotated to and fro,molds comprising stationary bottom walls carried by said first mentionedmember and side walls slidably mounted on said member, means for movingsaid slidable mold walls, a ram for compressing or consolidating thebricks, tiles,

on said member, means for moving SdlCl shdable mold walls,

hopper for strickling or levelling part of contents of said molds, andmeans for delivering from the machine the bricks or the like formed inthe machine consisting of plattens in the form of dished plates provided on the central parts of their lower surfaces with spacedprojections, a casing or magazine, for containing a pile of saidplattens, supported at one end of the lower the framing of the machine,rollers located in front of said casing or are made of such lengthsplattens plattens,

located or magazine WlllCll are rotatably mounted at-only one of theirends in the lower part the machine and are made to leave gaps theirproximate ends,

stantially as described.

In-testimony' whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

below said casing between

